Leicester welcomes back their captain Kauko Nieminen to the team for this weekend’s meetings after he missed the fixture at Ipswich on Bank Holiday Monday due to mild concussion following a crash at Somerset the previous Friday.
Whilst Nieminen returns the Harry Jordan Haulage Lions will be without Lasse Bjerre again on Saturday for their visit to Berwick in the Premier League and also missing is Robert Branford as both riders are riding in a World Under-21 Championship qualifier in Rawicz, Poland. It will be the fourth consecutive match that Leicester have been one rider short and his team mates will again be expected to take extra rides to cover for Bjerre’s absence. James Sarjeant, who is the captain of Coventry’s National League side, will replace Branford and he retains his place for the visit of Ipswich to the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium the following day.
Berwick have team selection problems of their own as their number one Ricky Ashworth will miss the meeting on Saturday. The Manchester-based racer suffered severe concussion in two recent high-speed crashes – at Glasgow and then a fortnight later at Edinburgh – and despite several neurological consultations has not yet been cleared again for action. The Border club are also without David Bellego who is riding in the same competition as Bjerre and Branford and will replace the Frenchman with a guest.
Ipswich, who won at home against the Lions on Monday by 53 points to 37, have named an unchanged line-up for their visit to Leicester on Sunday and apart from Branford Leicester will be at full strength. Bjerre is due to fly into the UK in the morning from Poland but as Branford is travelling overland he will not be available to make his home debut for the Lions.
“We won at Berwick last season and although the Bandits have lost three times at home already we are going there under no illusion that it will be easy. Three of our last four away results have been disappointing and whilst it is early days we just cannot rely on our home form to ensure we reach the play-off stage. Despite being without Kauko Nieminen at Ipswich on Monday we were in the meeting right up to the halfway stage. The return fixture against the Witches at Leicester on Sunday is one of the most attractive meetings of the year particularly as the visitors are led by Ben Barker who is a top performer in the Premier League. For us it is a must win match and we can take some satisfaction from the way we applied ourselves at their place” commented the Lions co-promoter Alan Jones.
